Knitters turn Batley Station into a rainbow of colour

Knitters have helped turn Batley Railway Station into a rainbow of colour to celebrate International Yarn Bombing Day.
Pictured at the station are, from left, Ken Lowe and Coun Gwen Lowe - Friends of Batley Station; Richard Isaac - Northern Rail; Gill Bond, project manager; and Sandra Nesbitt - knitting designer at Batley StationPictured at the station are, from left, Ken Lowe and Coun Gwen Lowe - Friends of Batley Station; Richard Isaac - Northern Rail; Gill Bond, project manager; and Sandra Nesbitt - knitting designer at Batley Station
Pictured at the station are, from left, Ken Lowe and Coun Gwen Lowe - Friends of Batley Station; Richard Isaac - Northern Rail; Gill Bond, project manager; and Sandra Nesbitt - knitting designer at Batley Station

The WOVEN project, happening across Kirklees this month, funded a scheme to “yarn bomb” the station frontage. Volunteers knitted squares in rainbow colours to create a feature they called the “Batley T’Rainbow” installation.

Batley’s multi-coloured celebration was installed last Friday, which was International Yarn Bombing Day, and unveiled the following day, which was dubbed Worldwide Knitting in Public Day.

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WOVEN worked in partnership with Kirklees Council and the Friends of Batley Station to help bring a smile to the faces of commuters and train passengers.

The knitted rainbow at Batley StationThe knitted rainbow at Batley Station
The knitted rainbow at Batley Station

Arched windows at the station have been decorated, along with fencing, signs and even bollards. Children from five Batley and Gomersal schools were also involved.

WOVEN festival curator Nat Walton said: “We were delighted to work with the Friends of Batley Station to yarn bomb the building with bright, rainbow colours for all to enjoy.

"We had an army of knitters who came together to contribute to something totally unique.”

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Coun Gwen Lowe, chairman of the Friends of Batley Station, said: “We were thrilled to be working with the organisers of Woven in Kirklees and knitwear designer Sandra Nesbitt to bring the Big Rainbow Knit to Batley.

“The station looks amazing and we hope people will go and see it.”

Woven is a biennial festival which celebrates innovation in textiles across Kirklees.

The festival involves community groups, textile businesses, cultural and educational organisations, artists and heritage sites across the district.

WOVEN’s theme is about innovation and heritage in textiles, as reflected in the district’s diverse communities.

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